1999 Ford Windstar Exterior lighting Problems

I NEVER KNEW ABOUT FORD'S RECALLS UNTIL LAST MARCH. BEFORE CALLING FORD I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS ME. MINE STARTED IN 2012 WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE THE FRONT WINDOWS WOULD NO LONGER OPEN. NEXT WHEN YOU TRIED TO PUT THE HEAT ON IN THE REAR THERE WAS STRANGE NOISE AND NOW I'M TO AFRAID TO USE IT. THE PAST 3 YRS THE GAUGES GO HAYWIRE. SOMETIMES IF YOU HIT THE DASH IT'LL STOP BUT LOCKS UP AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR SPEED IS. IF I LEAVE IT ALONE SOMETIMES IT WILL STOP ON IT'S OWN BUT LOCKS UP TO WHEREVER IT STOPS AT. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE ABS LIGHT WILL COME ON. FOR OVER 2 YRS NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON. I HAD IT CHECKED & WAS TOLD IT WAS THE O2 SENSORS FOR WHICH I REPLACED, 3 DAYS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN THEY SAID IT WAS THE O2 SENSORS. IN THE PAST 2 1/2 YRS I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY BECAUSE WHILE DRIVING THE BATTERY LIGHT WILL COME ON. IF I ACCELERATE IT GOES OFF BUT NOBODY KNOWS WHY THE BATTERY KEEPS DYING. SOME SAY ITS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL COME ON FOR NO REASON SO I HAD THEM REMOVED AS I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE DRAINING THE BATTERY. LAST SUMMER OUT OF THE BLUE THE A/C STARTED MAKING A NOISE AND JUST QUIT JUST LIKE A MONTH AGO I HEARD THIS CLICKING NOISE ONLY TO FIND OUT I HAD NO HEAT. I SPOKE TO FORD ABOUT THE GAUGES, THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE A/C AND SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS IT WASN'T ON THEIR RECALL LIST AND WOULD ONLY FIX THE REAR AXLE, CRUISE CONTROL AND THE FRONT IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG. WHEN I MENTIONED ALL THE INFO I FOUND ON NHTSA'S SITE ABOUT THIS VEHICLE I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT IS FIXED. I AM DISABLED AND AM LIVING IN A PLACE FOR THE HOMELESS & WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS HOW DOES FORD EXPECT ME TO FIX THEIR DEFECTS? EVERY TIME I HAVE TO DRIVE WHICH ISN'T OFTEN I PRAY I MAKE IT TO & FROM SAFELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10672465

Incident

Aug 27, 2012

Mileage

159,000 mi

THE ABS LIGHT CONSTANTLY TURNS ON AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT REPEATS ITSELF EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10606870

Incident

Jun 11, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560449

Incident

May 19, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

99 FORD WINDSTAR, SCDS SWITCH REPLACED,NO BRAKE LIGHTS, CANT GET SHIFTER OUT OF PARK, BLOWER WONT SHUT OFF WITH KEY REMOVED, HEADLIGHTS COME ON WHEN YOU SHUT THE DOOR WITH KEY REMOVED AND SWITCH OFF. NO SPEEDOMETER OR TACH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10372029

Incident

Jun 9, 2010

Mileage

98,000 mi

ON DECEMBER 17, 2009 WE TOOK OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR IN TO THE CERRITOS FORD DEALERSHIP IN CA. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS BEING RECALLED (RECALL # 09S09) AND AS IT TURNED OUT THE VAN WAS LEAKING AND THEY REPLACED THE LEAKING SWITCH AND HARNESS. BEFORE THE WORK WAS EVEN DONE, I TOLD THEM THAT WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ABS LIGHT THAT WAS ON OUR DASHBOARD. THE RECALL SUMMARY STATES THAT THE "WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE." ON OUR INVOICE, THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO NOTE OUR CONCERN REGARDING THE ABS AND NEVER STATED WHETHER OR NOT THEY INSPECTED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR. ALTHOUGH I AM AWARE THAT THERE COULD BE OTHER FACTORS CAUSING THE ABS LIGHT TO SHOW UP, I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT FULLY COMPLETED. I AM AWARE THAT THE ISSUES WE ARE HAVING COULD RESULT IN A CAR FIRE. I JUST WANT CONFIRMATION THAT THE INSPECTION WAS DONE AND IF THE CONNECTOR NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED, THAT FORD TAKES CARE OF IT WITH NO OUT-OF-POCKET FROM ME. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT CERRITOS & FORD CO. DIRECTLY. I WAS TOLD THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED ALTHOUGH THEY CANNOT SAY WHETHER OR NOT THE INSPECTION OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR WAS PERFORMED. THEY SAID I COULD PAY FOR AN EXPENSIVE DIAGNOSTIC TEST THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY COULD DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE ABS THAT WERE A RESULT OF FRAUD OR POOR WORKMANSHIP. EITHER WAY, ALL OF THIS WILL COST ME A LOT OF MONEY FOR SOMETHING I ASKED TO HAVE TAKEN CARE OF AT THE TIME I BROUGHT THE VAN IN FOR THE RECALL. I'M REALLY FRUSTRATED AND CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS OTHER ISSUES PERTAINING TO THIS VAN THAT I BELIEVE ARE RECALL RELATED. OUR TAIL-LIGHTS WON'T WORK DESPITE NEW BULBS, OUR BRAKES SOMETIMES SPUTTER AND DON'T ALWAYS STOP IMMEDIATELY. WE'VE HAD 4 CLOSE CALLS RELATED TO OUR BRAKES AND I WONDER HOW MUCH OF THIS IS RECALL-RELATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10334676

Incident

Dec 17, 2009

Mileage

55,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR A FEW MONTHS AGO. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT. IN FACT, I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN HALF OF WHAT I PAID FOR THE VEHICLE IN REPAIRS IN ONLY 2 MONTHS. THE REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE MOST RECENT REPAIRS HAVE INVOLVED ITEMS THAT I FEEL ARE EXTREME SAFETY CONCERNS. 1- THE POWER DOORS ON MY VEHICLE TO NOT LOCK/UNLOCK PROPERLY, MAKING IT UNABLE TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOORS. THIS WAS LOOKED AT BY THE FORD MECHANIC TODAY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DOOR LATCHES WERE BAD AND WERE "BURNING UP" THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE REASON, BUT ALSO LATELY, MY DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON MY DASH AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN, TWO OF THEM IN CAR SEATS AND UNABLE TO GET THEM SELVES OUT OF A CAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN SUCH AS AN ACCIDENT OR AN EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I AM PAYING TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT THE TUNE OF AROUND $1,000.00 WHICH I THINK IS A REAL RIP OFF, DUE TO FORDS POORLY MANUFACTURED VEHICLE. 2. MY BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY VAN. I CHANGED THE BULB AND TESTED IT, AND DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I THEN NOTICED THAT MY REAR TAIL LIGHT IS NOW NOT WORKING. I HAD THIS CHECKED OUT BY THE MECHANIC TODAY, AND WAS TOLD IT IS THE REAR ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WHICH IS GOING TO COST ME NEARLY $600 TO FIX. I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH A THING TO FAIL, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN, WHERE LIGHTS COME INTO PLAY. I COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION. I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER IF FORD IS IN THE AUTO MAKING/SELLING BUSINESS, OR THE SERVICE BUSINESS. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THEY ARE POORLY MANUFACTURING VEHICLES ONLY PROVIDING JOB SECURITY FOR THE MECHANICS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION. ANY HELP IN REMEDYING THIS AND GETTING FORD TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10205388

Incident

Oct 7, 2007

Mileage

79,000 mi

FIRST: WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE IN NC OUR VAN DIED. AFTER SAFELY PULLING OVER, CROSSING 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC, WE HAD THE VAN TOWED HOME TO VA AND THE MECHANIC SAID HE CHANGES 7-8 TRANSMISSIONS A WEEK IN FORD WINDSTAR VANS. WE HAD FALLEN VICTIM TO THIS. WE STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE O/D LIGHT COMING ON AND HAVING TO ADD TRANSMISSION FLUID FREQUENTLY. SECOND: OUR VAN INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS DIM AND BLINK AT RANDOM. THE ALERT WILL ALSO COME ON SAYING ONE OF THE DOORS IS AJAR LEAVING THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON AND DOORS UNLOCKED. IT WILL RANDOMLY CHANGE DOORS WHILE DRIVING. NOW THE REAR TURNING LIGHTS DO NOT FLASH, THE LOCKS DO NOT WORK, THE INTERIOR AND BACK EXTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT GO OUT EVEN WITH THE KEY OFF AND OUT. THERE WILL BE RANDOM BEEPING AND BUZZING NOISES. THE REAR HEAT/AIR TURNS OFF AND ON AT RANDOM EVEN WITH THE CONTROLS IN THE OFF POSITION. THERE IS A CLICKING UNDER THE DASH WHEN THE REAR HEAT OR AIR IS RUNNING. ON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC FOUND THE ALARM WIRES UNDER THE DASH BARE, UNHOOKED, AND EXPOSED. HE TAPED THESE HOPING IT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT HAS NOT. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IS NOT REPUTABLE. IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY BREAK SOMETHING ELSE WHILE FIXING ANOTHER TO ENSURE A RETURN VISIT. WE HAVE TO TRAVEL 45-60 MINUTES TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY ARE SO BUSY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR A LARGE RURAL AREA. FORD HAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED PHONE CALLS OR LETTERS SENT TO THEM. WE FEEL STUCK WITH A LEMON! *TR

NHTSA ID

10203621

Incident

May 21, 2004

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE PLASTIC LENS ON MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR HEADLIGHTS HAVE CLOUDED (NOT DIRTY) WITH AGE. THE LIGHT EMITTED BY THEM AT NIGHT HAS DECREASED BECAUSE OF THAT. THAT HAS CREATED A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. I CANNOT SEE AS CLEARLY OR AS FAR DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THIS WORRIES ME. FORD HAS DECLINED TO REPLACE THEM FOR FREE SAYING THEY HAVE NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. I WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A FLEET OF FORDS. I HAVE SEEN THAT SAME PROBLEM IN THE OLDER FORDS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD REPLACE THE LENS FOR FREE. NO SUCH PROBLEM EXISTED IN CARS WITH GLASS HEADLIGHTS. THANK YOU!. *AK

NHTSA ID

10104119

Incident

Nov 1, 2004

Mileage

80,000 mi

EXTERIOR BULB WARNING LIGHT CAME ON LEFT REAR RUNNING LIGHT QUIT OPERATING. ELECTICAL MACHANIC STATED REM MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THIS UNIT IS VEHICLE SPECIFIC AND A COST OF $300 AND HAS TO BE PROGRAMED BY DEALER FOR ANOTHER CHARGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10075213

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

INTERMITTENTLY THE TURN SIGNALS (LEFT AND RIGHT) FAIL TO INDICATE THE DIRECTION THE VEHICLE WILL BE TURNING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE DASHBOARD COVER WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE ODOMETER ALSO STICKS AND ONCE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE OTHER GAUGES STICK AS WELL. THERE ARE NO A RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLES VIN NUMBER. *MR *NLM

NHTSA ID

8022121

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

Mileage

38,000 mi

HEADLIGHT SWITCH BROKE OFF WHILE TURNING ON LIGHT SWITCH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8009802

Incident

May 12, 2002

CONSUMER NOTICED CONDENSATION IN HEADLIGHTS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED, THE TRANSMISSON HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE SENSOR. *SCC

NHTSA ID

8006199

Incident

Feb 1, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION GASKET FAILED.(CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS VEHICLE)*JB

NHTSA ID

564471

TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT CONUSMER DEPRESSED HORN BUTTONS, AND HORN WOULD NOT SOUND. CONSUMER STATED HORN BUTTONS HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED VERY HARD TO SOUND.*AK THE DESIGN OF THE HORN AND STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY DOES NOT PROVIDE EFFECTIVE ACCESS TO HORN IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. ALSO, TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE ON CURVED ROAD WAYS. *YH

NHTSA ID

879222